The plot was foiled when Peter Langlaan changed his mind after thinking about the innocent passengers who might be hurt in the attack.

While the United States was initially neutral in the conflict, one of its biggest immigrant groups was German-speaking parts of Imperial Germany and Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Some of these German immigrants were angered by American trade to Germany's enemies the Allies or Entente Powers.

One of the plotters said he was inspired by the McNamara brother's 1910 Los Angeles Times bombing terrorist attack and that he wanted “to do something to help the fatherland.”[1] Frank Helon (aka Hans Hellar) built the bomb, a package containing 75 pounds (34 kg) of dynamite connected with wires set to explode six and one-half days after it was started.

The timer was to be started in New Orleans and it was hoped that in six and one-half days that it would reach New York, be placed aboard Rochambeau and detonate when the ship was far from land.